The John Report: AEW Dynamite 09/04/24 Review
This week’s AEW Dynamite featured a six-man tag match, Kazuchika Okada defending his title and a Swerve Strickland-Adam Page contract signing.
It’s going to be a condensed review from me this week. In addition to writing my TJR reviews, I also do shorter recaps for my very good friends at Inside The Ropes. During Dynamite on Wednesday, I was doing two fantasy football (that’s NFL) drafts on Wednesday night, so I wasn’t able to write a detailed review while the show was on. The idea of watching the show a second time to write a detailed review doesn’t interest me. What I’ll use is my shorter recap that I put on ITR and then I’ll add my “Analysis” as usual.
This was AEW Dynamite episode #257 from the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. Let’s get to it.
It’s Wednesday and you know what that means. It’s Excalibur on commentary with Tony Schiavone and Taz.
Daniel Garcia was in the ring doing a promo while Maxwell Jacob Friedman was in the upper deck of the arena with security by his side. They took a lot of personal shots at eachother with Garcia taking shots at MJF’s acne and hair plugs. MJF even referenced Garcia’s mother while saying insulting things, so Garcia left the ring to try to go after MJF. Garcia managed to break free, but MJF hit him with a bottle and bloodied him. MJF even kissed Garcia’s bloody forehead after some more trash talk.
Analysis: I thought they did a great job with the promos. Both guys had some interesting lines that made it feel like a very personal rivalry. MJF got the upper hand with the cheap shot with the bottle, so Garcia will go into the match at All Out as a wounded man. I think Garcia should win the feud especially since he’s staying in AEW long term, but MJF might win at All Out and keep the feud going after that.
The Conglomeration group did an interview backstage that led to Mark Briscoe getting fired up like usual.
Match #1: Kazuchika Okada defeated Kyle Fletcher by pinfall to retain the Continental Championship. Okada won after doing a low blow that the referee didn’t see and then Okada connected with a Rainmaker clothesline just before the 20-minute time limit expired.
Analysis: ***3/4 A great match with a clever finish since Okada cheated to win with the low blow before hitting the Rainmaker to win. Fletcher had no shot to win here, yet it was still fun to watch. To me, I wouldn’t have Okada need 20 minutes to beat somebody like Fletcher, who is obviously talented in the ring, but based on his status in the company, I would have Okada win in around 12-14 minutes. Okada needing 20 minutes doesn’t make him look good.
A video aired about how Swerve Strickland recently signed an AEW contract extension and bought his family’s childhood home.
Analysis: That’s an important point to remember.
Match #2: Jamie Hayter defeated Robyn Renegade with the Haterade. Short match that Hayter won easily. It was under three minutes.
Analysis: *1/2 Another match won by a clothesline on this show. They’ll probably have Hayter beat Saraya soon.
Hook and Roderick Strong had a backstage promo exchange. Hook wanted to defend his FTW Title on Dynamite, but Strong said not tonight and he’ll let him know when.
Jon Moxley was in the ring with Marina Shafir and Moxley started a promo wondering if Darby Allin was out there in Milwaukee. Moxley talked about kicking Allin’s ass in the ring many years ago and he still thinks Allin is going to be great. Moxley said he just wanted to talk.
Analysis: There wasn’t much to it other than Moxley wanting to talk to Allin for some reason. None of the Blackpool Combat Club guys seem to care that Moxley is doing his own thing. There’s no follow up with the other guys in his group.
Chris Jericho was interviewed backstage complaining about Orange Cassidy ruining Jericho’s $7,000 jacket four years ago. Jericho said Bryan Keith would freshly squeeze Orange Cassidy on AEW Collision this Friday. Orange said if Keith beats Orange on Friday he’ll give him $7000 in cash.
Match #3:Mariah May defeated Nyla Rose by pinfall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship. May won with the Storm Zero piledriver that Toni Storm uses.
Analysis: **3/4 There was some offense for Rose in the match, but obviously May is going to get the win in a match like this so soon after the title win. It’s hard to care that much about matches like this although I do enjoy May as a performer. She’s fun to watch.
A video aired about Deonna Purrazzo saying she’s not done making art because she’s only just begun.
Mercedes Mone, the TBS & NJPW Strong Women’s Champion, did an in-ring promo with Kamille by her side. Mone said that at All Out, Hikaru Shida will learn there’s a price to pay when you mess with Mercedes Mone. Shida said she almost beat Mone last time but Kamille got involved. Shida said that Mone knows she can’t beat “The Ace” referring to Shida. Christopher Daniels walked in to announce that Kamille was banned from ringside for Mone’s match with Shida. That led to Shida saying: “Sayonara, bi**h.” Mone wasn’t happy about it.
Analysis: At least they tried to make us care with a three-minute promo. Mone beating Shida seems like a lock on Saturday. Mone used to be a better talker. It’s just not clicking for her right now in terms of promos in AEW.
Jack Perry the TNT Champion and AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks were backstage for a promo. Perry talked about how he would beat Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Title. Matthew Jackson The Elite will do anything to make sure the AEW World Title is with The Elite.
Analysis: I don’t see that happening.
The AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson joined the commentary team for the main event.
Match #4: Claudio Castagnoli, Pac & Wheeler Yuta defeated Will Ospreay, Orange Cassidy & Kyle O’Reilly by pinfall. Claudio did a Giant Swing followed by Yuta doing a dropkick while the swing was going on. Ospreay dove onto Pac by the ramp, so they were out of the match early. This match went about 20 minutes.
Analysis: ***1/2 It was a pretty good match although I wouldn’t call it great by any means. The finish was a bit flat since that’s not a move that Claudio usually wins with. I feel like Kyle O’Reilly does the job in every tag team match he has. I may be overthinking it, but the reality is O’Reilly isn’t booked that well by AEW.
After the match, The Elite’s Jack Perry, Kazuchika Okada & The Young Bucks attacked the BCC’s Danielson, Castagnoli & Yuta. After Bryan, Claudio & Yuta fought back, The Elite group retreated.
Claudio did a promo saying he isn’t booked for All Out right now, but he wants to join Wheeler Yuta against The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Titles. The Bucks agreed to it.
Analysis: That simple, huh? AEW’s Tag Team division should be better. It used to be booked a lot better. These days, it’s lazy booking a lot of the time.
Bryan Danielson did a promo telling Jack Perry that at AEW All Out, Perry is going to get his “f**king head” kicked in.
There was a backstage scene as Pac gave Will Ospreay a brainbuster on an equipment crate.
Analysis: That should be a great match at All Out. Ospreay winning is a lock.
This Friday on AEW Collision it will be Bryan Danielson, Pac, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta vs. The Elite’s Jack Perry, Kazuchika Okada & The Young Bucks
Analysis: A big match for Collision going against Smackdown on Friday.
Swerve Strickland was in the ring for the All Out contract signing. “Hangman” Adam Page was in the house that Swerve bought a few days ago. Page trashed Swerve’s personal life being in shambles, so all he has is being in the ring. Page thinks that Swerve’s regrets having Swerve in the first place. Swerve was dumping gasoline all over the house. Page said he told Swerve he wanted nothing more in this life than to burn Swerve’s world to the ground. Page said that Swerve will be begging for Page’s mercy and forgiveness inside the steel cage. Page said that Swerve will say goodbye to his career and his happiness. Page said tonight, live in front of the world, Swerve will get to say goodbye to Swerve’s house. Page grabbed a fire stick, then set it down and lit the house of fire while Swerve was freaking out in the ring. That was the end of AEW Dynamite.
Analysis: It was outstanding. I loved it. Best feud in AEW over the last year. It adds another personal layer to the Swerve-Hangman story since Swerve will be furious about Swerve burning down his childhood home that Swerve bought back this week. I don’t know whose house that really was and how much it will cost to try to fix it, but I do give AEW credit for coming up with something spectacular like that. I think Swerve and Page could go either way at All Out. It should be one of the better matches on the show.
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Three Stars of the Show
- Kazuchika Okada
- “Hangman” Adam Page
- Claudio Castagnoli, Pac & Wheeler Yuta
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The Scoreboard
This Week: 7.5 out of 10
Last Week: 7.5
2024 Average: 7.49
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Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite
It was an enjoyable edition of AEW Dynamite. They built up some of the matches for All Out well like the MJF/Garcia story that started the show. Good job by both of them. The same goes for “Hangman” Adam Page burning down Swerve’s house, or at least that’s the idea behind it. It’s a personal rivalry that got even more personal.
The two long matches were pretty good. I think they should book Kazuchika Okada stronger personally, but it’s not up to me. The six-man tag was the usual AEW tag with chaos. The finish felt flat to me.
They have done a nice job of building the All Out PPV, which is less than two weeks after All In. With that said, I don’t know if All Out will have any title changes. I am looking forward to at least a few of the matches, especially Swerve and Hangman in a cage.
The AEW All Out PPV takes place on Saturday, September 7th from Chicago with this lineup announced so far:
* Steel Cage Match: Swerve Strickland vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
* AEW World Championship: Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Perry
* AEW International Championship: Will Ospreay vs. PAC
* MJF vs. Daniel Garcia
* TBS Championship: Mercedes Mone vs. Hikaru Shida
* AEW Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks vs. Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta
* AEW Continental Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. three opponents.
* CMLL Women’s World Championship Chicago Street Fight: Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander
There will likely be more matches announced before the show on Saturday.
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Thanks for reading. Go Los Angeles Rams. You can contact me using any of the methods below.
John Canton
Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com
Twitter/X: @johnreport